Improvement in log-measuring scale



Ccimiteri (States Ianni @inline LUTHER SMITH, OF LOWELL, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGN'OR TO HIMSllLF AND JAMES A. PEVEY, OF SAME PLACE.

Letters Patent N 104,368, dated J' une 14, 1870.

IMPROVEMENT IN LOG-MEASURING- SCALE.

The Schedule referred to in these Letters Patent and making part of the same.

To all whom it may concern..-

Be it known that I, LUTHER Snrru, of Lowell, in the county of Middlesex, and State of' Massachusetts, have invented new and useful Improvements iu a Device for Measuring Logs; and I do hereby declare that the following is a f'ull and exact dcscription thereof, reference being had to the -accompanying drawings and to thc letters of reference marked thereon.

The nature of my invention consists iu providing a beam, suitably lined, figured, and dotted, with a fixed and movable jaw or arm, the movable jaw, figured as desired, and moving or sliding on suitable tongues, which are secured to the beam, the object of this invention being to provide and furnish an instrument that can be Operated and kept in order easily, and one that will indicate at sight, to thc user, the measurement or contents cf logs, in cubic feet, of' any size or length.

'lo enable others skilled iu the art to make aud use my invention, I will proceed to describe its construcf tion and operation.

, Figure 1 represents a side elevation of` my improved device for measuring logs.

Figure 2 represents an elevation of the opposite side.

Figure 3 represents an end elevation of the same.

Similar letters in the different figures indicate Corresponding parts.

a, represents the beam, which I make in various lengths and widths.

'Io one cud ot` this beam a is secured the fixed arm or jaw b, with its stop c and duck-bill point d. Y

c c are tongues, located on each side of the beam a, extending from the fixed jaw b to the end of the beam a, where they are secured to the same by means of the cap f. These tongues c a are also divided into inches and figured, which will indicate to the user, when required, the diameter of' the log.

Sliding on those tongues c c is the adjusmble slide y, to which is secured the arm or jaw 7|,with its duckbill point i. This adjustable slide g is spaced, lined, and figured into the required number of parts, these figures indicating the different lengths of logs in feet.

I prefer the adjustable slide y figured as'shown in thc drawings, the figures indicating from twenty to flirty-three f'cet, as this compass will include the lengths ofmost logs, although the saine results would be ob- 'tained if otherwise figured.

The beam a is spaced andliued the entire length on all its sides, the number of spaces corresponding with the number of spaces on the adjustable slide g, and coming directly in under the same.

These spaces are dividcdfand subdivided, and figured as desired, each figure indicating the number of" cubic feet contained in the log, this amount being dctcrmiucd by the length and diameter of the saine.

In dividing these spaces to the exteutofthe beam a, from thc fixed jaw b, the distance from one division to another grows less tha-n the one that preceded it to such an extent that it renders it impossible to figure the same. 'lhus each division on the beam a indicates cubic feet.

As shown in figs. 1 and 2, a log 22 feet long and 45t inches diameter contains two cubic feet of timber. A log to contain three cubic feet, the same length., the diameter has to be increased 1l; inch, making the diameter G inches. A long to contain four cubic feet, using the same length, the diameter is increased l, making the diameter (ir inches, A log ofthe same length to contain five cubic feet, the diameter has to be increased lg, making the diameter 72 inches. A log to contain six cubic f'eet, the diameter has to bc increased inch, making it 8 inches diameter, using the same length. A log to contain 7 cubic feet, thc saine length, the diameter is increased inch, making thc diameter 9i( inches. A log to contain eight cubic feet,`thc same length, the diameter is increased f, making thc diameter 9H( inches.

Thus, it will be seen, the larger the diameter of the log, the closer the divisions come together.

'lo obviate this serious diiculty, I substitute dots, which have the same meaning and indicate cubic f'e'et the saine as the figures. Thus by having these divisions figured and dotted ou the beam a, it supercedcs thc imperfect devices now in common use, as these divisions are not figured or dotted, but leftblank, and thc user is obliged to guess at the amount.

'lhc instrument being thus prepared and pnt together, it is then ready for use. The log being spotted, which is to remove thc bark from the two sides opposite cach other of the log, the operator takes the instrument in hand, places the bill-point d of the fixed arm b against the place previously spotted on one side ofthe log, and adjusts the duck-bill i of' the arm h.v against the other side by means of the adjustable slide y, which is guided and slides. on the tongues e c.

The operator then finds the lcngthof the log, which had previously been obtained, and indicated by figures on the adjustable slide y. The figure on the beam a, opposite the figure on the slide y, which indicates the length, gives the required information in cubic feet, thus: We suppose the length of the log to be 43 feet, indicated on the adjustable slide g; we then suppose the diameter of the log, sufficient to stop the adjustable si. c 7, so as to leave the figure 43 opposite t-hc figure 9 0|. thc beam c. This accurately discloses the the solid coicents or cubicl feet in a log of 43 feet iu lengt-Intuit). its diameter equal to thc dista-nce between the t-wo duck-bid points d and i, amounting to nine cubic feet; also, if' the diameterot the log is required,

Vthis instrument is applicable to finding the same by means of thetongues e e. being divided into inches and figured.

Furthermore, in case the logs are not sufficiently spotted for accurate measurement, these duck-bill points d and i, their form being admirably adapted to the removing any and all portions which have been carelessly lett.

The adjustable slide g, moving on the tongues e e, by this arrangement the slide g is kept perfectly clear from the beam a, thus prevent-ing the lines, figures, and dots on the beam a from becoming obliterated or delnced in the least, this sliding arrangement working with mene accihaey, damp or wet weather not affect'- ing it in the least.

What I claim asmy invent-ion, and desire to sceure by Letters Patent, is.

The combination of the graduated slide g, having the caliper-arm h, with the log-rule a, provided with the xed caliper-arm b, constructed and arranged substantially as and for the purpose herein specified.

LUTHER SMITH.

Witnesses:

GEORGE E. PEVEY, F. S. PEVEY. 

